Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has issued an order to all administrative departments of the state government to not release any payments to their lawyers without his explicit approval.

In a memorandum issued to all departments of the Delhi government, Mr Sisodia who handles the finance portfolio, said that administrative departments must not process any payments to lawyers whose empanelment or appointment has not be approved by the law minister.

An office memorandum was sent out by the finance department to all principal secretaries and the heads of department after the deputy chief minister “desired” that instructions be issued.

The memorandum states that the approval of the finance minister is needed for payments to be released to any lawyer working for any administrative department. It also noted that payments will not be made to lawyers whose appointment has not been approved by the Minister of Law.

Denied Access To Recruitment File Claims Mr. Sisodia

Earlier this year in September, Mr Sisodia called on the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to stop the recruitment process for lawyers that was being carried out by the services department, alleging that the process was suffering from legal infirmities.

In the letter sent by him to Mr Baijal, Mr Sisodia alleged that he had been denied access to files relating to the lawyers’ recruitment process by officials citing LG’s orders.